Lightning II all set to fly

摘要

As currently projected, the F-35 Lightning II — as it is now officially known (see box) — is the US Defense Department's largest acquisition programme in terms of cost and number of aircraft to be produced. Current DOD plans call for production of 2,458 aircraft in three versions, though the eventual production total for the US forces could be considerably lower. Uncertainties about programme numbers include the mix between CTOL and STOVL versions for the US Navy and the number of STOVL F-35s to be acquired by the USAF. The total number of F-35s acquired by the Air Force is widely expected to be substantially less than the official target of 1,763.